Unreasonable Luxuries
by The Yankee Countess
Summary: Mary shows Sybil the new shower she's had installed at Downton. She insists that before Sybil and Tom move into their cottage, that Sybil try it. However, what happens next is highly doubtful to be what Mary had in mind. My contribution to the "Anywhere With Water" challenge! Unashamed Sybil/Tom shower sexytimes!


_Here it is! My contribution to "Across-the-Rubicon's" Sybil/Tom smut challenge "Anywhere With Water". Repmet had requested early on that she would love to see "Downton-era Shower Sexytimes". Naturally this was a bit of a challenge, as showers (as we know them) weren't widely seen outside of Paris during this era in history. BUT then I remembered Mary and Matthew had gone to Paris on their honeymoon...and it just seemed like the sort of thing Mary would want to bring back to Downton ;o) _

_Now I didn't do a massive amount of research into 1920's showers, so if this shower sounds too "modern", just try to suspend your disbelief and enjoy Sybil and Tom having shower sexytimes :o) ALSO this little story is set *post baby*, taking place between episodes 3.07 and 3.08, so you know what this means...SYBIL LIVES! :oD Hope you enjoy this moment of "good clean fun" ;o) between Sybil and Tom, and please leave a comment! Thank you!_

* * *

**Unreasonable Luxuries  
**_**By The Yankee Countess**_

Sybil gaped at the strange looking closet that Mary was showing her. Well, "closet" wasn't perhaps the most accurate term, but…that was what it reminded her of. A small, tiled room with a glass door, and a strange looking spigot hanging overhead.

"The hotel in Paris where Matthew and I stayed on our honeymoon had this," Mary explained, grinning as she admired the newly installed shower. Sybil had heard of the things, but had never seen one before. "Oh Sybil, they're absolutely divine!"

Sybil frowned slightly as she examined the contraption. "How…how does it work?"

Mary grinned, happy to give a demonstration of her latest indulgence. "Well, it's similar to a bathtub, where there are two taps…" she pointed one with an "H" on it and the other with "C". "You twist them, like so…" she demonstrated, being careful not to get her arm or head wet. Sybil gasped as the water suddenly began to pour down from the overhead spigot, like a rain cloud producing a drizzle in the small glass and tile chamber. "Go on, put your hand under it," her sister grinned, and Sybil carefully did so, gasping at the feel of the pouring water. It was quite warm, but not scalding. "Just like a tub, you can adjust the temperature by turning whichever tap you want…and that's how simple it is!"

Sybil retracted her hand and continued to stare up at the spigot. She wasn't quite sure what she thought of the whole thing. While she was one who normally embraced change and found many "newfangled" inventions fascinating, something about Mary's new "shower" had her frowning.

"Well…?" her sister was clearly waiting for Sybil to give her opinion.

"I don't know…" she answered honestly.

Mary frowned at this. "What do you mean you 'don't know'?"

Sybil bit her bottom lip and gazed up at the spigot once again. "Well…I don't see how it…how it cleans any better than soaking in a tub?"

Mary groaned and rolled her eyes. "Oh Sybil, really; aren't you always the one who tells me I need to 'embrace change'?" She had a feeling her sister was going to throw that back in her face. It was quite rare when Sybil was the conservative voice in the family. "And as lovely as a nice long soak in the tub is, this washes you head to foot, and just…oh Sybil, I can't describe better than I already have, it simply feels divine!"

Sybil chewed on her bottom lip. "It just…it seems like such a…unreasonable luxury."

"Unreasonable luxury?" Mary's surprised face quickly darkened into a frown. "Sybil…ever since Papa revealed the problems with the estate, ever since Matthew had to put Mr. Swire's money towards Downton, ever since Matthew and…and that husband of yours, began their whole scheme of 'transforming Downton' and 'modernizing Downton', I have been very supportive and gone out of my way to…to…to be frugal in my living," she muttered. "And I have, thank you very much. I haven't bought a new dress, I haven't insisted on taking a trip to London or the Continent, I haven't even tried to throw a party or host a dinner—but when Matthew revealed to me that we had enough money to…to do _something_ for the house, to bring something to it, as an anniversary present for ourselves…well forgive me for wanting to indulge myself on this 'unreasonable luxury'."

Sybil couldn't help but wince slightly at her sister's accusatory tone. Yes, she knew that Mary was trying to live simpler, just as Matthew had wished, even before Papa's financial troubles had come into light. And who was she to sound high and mighty and "holier than thou"? After all, hadn't she insisted on some new furniture for the cottage she and Tom were going to be moving into, while they were stuck here in England?

She put on a smile and reached over to squeeze Mary's hand. "I'm sorry, Mary; really, it is lovely, just…" she looked up at the spigot once more. "Different."

Mary began to smile again and returned the squeeze. "Well, sometime before you and Tom move into that cottage, you should try it." Mary began to laugh as a sudden thought filled her head. "Of course, now that I think about it…maybe you shouldn't."

Sybil looked confused. "Oh?"

Mary only grinned. "Well, you may find yourself insisting that Tom put one in, too."

* * *

Tom surveyed the cottage, scribbling a few notes on a piece of paper. Yes, within a fortnight the place would be ready for them. And it couldn't come soon enough, in his mind. While he was grateful to Matthew and Mary and Edith and his mother-in-law, he was ready to be away from Downton (and put a little more distance between himself and his father-in-law). While yes, Robert had softened slightly since the birth of their daughter, he knew that Robert still saw him as "the mad revolutionary" who had insisted on a "barbaric Catholic christening" and had somehow "brainwashed" Sybil into allowing such a thing, when in truth, it was Sybil who insisted more than he. Yes, it would be good to get away from that house; if both he and Sybil had to stay in England, then they needed to stay on their own terms…and in their own space.

A light knock on the door caused Tom to turn and smile at the sight of his brother-in-law. "Mary said you were down here," Matthew informed him. "Making final preparations?"

Tom flashed his notes. "It's not a palace, I know, but…it's bigger than what we had in Dublin, and I want it to be as perfect as it can be." He was grateful for his brother-in-law; Matthew didn't try to twist his arm and insist that he and Sybil stay in the big house. He had a feeling Matthew understood the need for one's own space, better than anyone.

"Well, you know that I am more than happy to help in any way that I can."

Tom nodded his head. "I do…but truly, you and Mary have helped enough; and this cottage will do us both very well."

"I'm glad to hear it," Matthew smiled, clapping a supportive hand on Tom's shoulder. "But I should warn you…Mary is showing Sybil the new shower we had installed, recently."

Tom lifted a brow at Matthew's words. He had heard of such contraptions. It was rumored that the most luxurious hotel in Dublin had one, but he would never have the money to stay in such a place. In some ways he was surprised that Matthew had spent the money on having something like that put in; no doubt it was quite expensive, and Tom liked the fact that his brother-in-law tried to live simpler than the rest of his in-laws. Still, he knew how powerful a wife's "insistence" could be. "Should I be worried?" he chuckled.

"Well, Mary couldn't stop raging about it when we returned from Paris," Matthew sighed. "And she had said to me back when I began talking about 'modernizing' Downton, how nice it would be if we had a shower in the house."

"So you think she will convince Sybil to come to her way of thinking?"

Matthew shrugged his shoulders, but Tom sensed there was something else his brother-in-law wasn't telling him. "Let's just say…I know _I'm not_ going to regret having it…"

Tom lifted an eyebrow at this. And then, as he took in Matthew's expression, lifted the other eyebrow too. "Really?"

Matthew couldn't help but grin. "It's a fine invention, my friend, very _useful_…" he leaned closer and whispered, "and it does a decent job in cleaning oneself, as well."

* * *

Her mother was fussing over her. Sybil knew it was meant in kindness, but honestly, she just wanted to be left alone.

"Are you sure we can't send for Dr. Clarkson? It isn't too late in the evening; he may still be at the hospital—"

"Oh Mama, please!" Sybil groaned, taking her handkerchief and giving her nose a blow. "It's a simple head-cold and nothing more. Certainly nothing worth troubling Dr. Clarkson over." Bless her mother; after the difficult labor and birth, her mother hovered over her like a hawk whenever she made the slightest cough.

A light knock on the door alerted both Sybil and her mother that someone else was outside. Edith then poked her head in and smiled. "The car is ready, Mama. Matthew and Mary have gone on ahead to fetch Granny, and Papa is waiting downstairs."

Her mother sighed and rose to her feet. "I'll be sure to pass your regrets onto Imogen's family," she said with a smile, before bending down to kiss Sybil's brow. Her friend, Imogen Bellisis, had just returned from London with a brand new baby in tow. The child's christening was going to be that Sunday, and Imogen's family was having a small party with close friends and family, tonight. While Sybil would be sad to miss the event, especially because she hadn't seen Imogen since before her own wedding to Tom, in some ways she was glad her little cold was preventing her from attending, or rather, preventing her _and Tom_ from attending. These dinners were really not his sort of thing, and when she told him she wasn't feeling very well earlier, he swept her up, put her to bed, and then went to go and see to their daughter who was in the Downton nursery—before removing the dinner jacket Matthew had given to him.

"I doubt we'll stay very long," her mother murmured.

Sybil sighed but smiled up at her mother. "I'm not a baby, Mama."

Her mother laughed and kissed her forehead again. "Every child, no matter how old they get, are a baby in their mother's eyes. But I know, I'm hovering," she turned and looped her arm through Edith's, before blowing Sybil a kiss, and shutting the door behind her.

Sybil sighed with relief, glad to have the room to herself again, and leaned back against her pillows. Her cold, quite literally seemed to have come from nowhere. Why it had only been that morning that her sister was showing off her new "shower". She had felt a tickle in the back of her throat, which was normally a sign of something to come, and as the day progressed, she felt her head become more and more congested. The weather was changing, and they did have a great deal of rain, recently; perhaps that was the cause?

Oh, but her head was stuffy! She had consumed several cups of hot tea, and had placed a warm compress against her sinuses earlier; that seemed to have helped. Perhaps she could ring for someone to bring her a fresh one?

_Oh don't be silly; you don't need to ring for someone, you are fully capable of doing it yourself! After all, when you move into your cottage you won't have anyone to do these sorts of things for you._

With a groan she swung her feet out from beneath the covers and padded across the floor to the connecting bathroom. However, upon opening the door and seeing the empty tub…an idea suddenly sprang to her.

She recalled how earlier in the day, over luncheon, she began to sneeze quite a bit, and complain about feeling a little stuffed up. Mary looked at her with some concern, before adding, _"You know, the steam from the shower does wonders in clearing one's head!" _ Now those words echoed in her mind and she nibbled her bottom lip as she pondered the idea. Why not? Despite her initial misgivings, she was curious about her sister's newest edition to Downton Abbey. And with everyone gone, she wouldn't be disturbing anyone if she snuck down the corridor to use it. The servants would be having their supper, and no one other than Tom would be coming to check on her…no, this really was the best opportunity. And the idea of any sort of relief to her stuffy head sounded appealing.

With a bit of a mischievous grin, Sybil quickly pulled her nightgown off, and threw her dressing gown over her naked body. She poked her head out the door, and seeing no one walking down the hall, quickly made her way down it, towards the special bathroom where the shower lay, just next door to Mary and Matthew's room. She was giggling as she turned on a light and shut the door, before gazing at up at the strange closet made of tile and glass with the large spigot hanging overhead. "Right…" she whispered to herself, remembering what Mary had shown her earlier. One tap had hot water, the other had cold. With tentative fingers, she reached in and turned the tap with the "H" on…and jumped with a gasp as the water immediately began to rain down from the spigot. Within a matter of seconds, she could feel the water growing quite warm to rather hot. She didn't want to scald her skin, so she quickly turned the "C" tap…and sighed with relief, as the cool water, mixing with the hot, was able to create that perfect temperature. Yes…she could already feel the stuffiness in her head begin to fade as the steam from the shower began to fill the room. With a girlish giggle, she removed her robe and hung it on a nearby hook, before carefully…stepping inside the shower and shutting the glass door behind her.

"OH!" Sybil gasped, as the water rained over her body. Oh my…Mary was right! It simply WAS divine! She grinned as she lifted her face towards the spigot, gasping and smiling as the water rained over her skin, drenching her hair, cascading down her body. Oh yes, this was absolutely heavenly! She looked down at her feet and smiled as she took note of a few bottles that had been left, containing various luxurious and perfumed soaps. She picked up a bottle and screwed off the lid, smiling as she breathed in the scent of lilacs. If I use a little, Mary won't know! She giggled mischievously and poured a small amount into the center of her hand, and began to run the soap over her skin, moaning contentedly. Oh yes, this was lovely. She could understand Mary completely for wanting one of these!

She decided to explore the other bottles, opening each and sniffing them, before pouring small…to somewhat generous dollops onto her hands, and running them over her arms, shoulders, even up into her hair. She grinned and sighed as she leaned her head back, letting the water run down her back and rinse her hair. She was so lost in the luxuriousness of the moment…that she hadn't been aware that the door had opened…

* * *

After he returned from the cottage, Tom made his way to the room that both he and Sybil kept. He wasn't looking forward to this dinner that they were supposed to be attending, for a variety of reasons (he would never be completely comfortable dressing up and playing "lord of the manor" while others waited on him) but he also knew that the party was a celebration before a christening, and the last thing he needed was for his father-in-law to be sending him disapproving looks throughout the meal because he and Sybil had christened their daughter Catholic instead of Anglican.

Yet as he began to dress for dinner, he noticed how Sybil's sneezing and coughing refused to subside. Her nose was turning red and her cheeks were looking flushed. And there was a distinct nasal tone to her voice. "Tom…I don't think I'll be well enough to attend," she sighed.

He did his best to hide his relief, and tried to look "disappointed", but she knew him well and muttered for him to stop lying when he murmured, _"oh no, that's a shame, love!"_ Well, if Sybil couldn't go, then he would stay behind too! She smirked at him when he made this announcement, and he bounded off then to the nursery to see to their daughter. Even though the two of them didn't care for the idea of their daughter being kept in a nursery down the hall, tonight it would probably be for the best as Sybil recovered from her cold. He spent a good hour in the nursery, rocking his daughter to sleep, singing her songs in Gaelic, songs his mother had sung to his younger brothers and sisters. Satisfied that the child was sound asleep (at least for the next few hours) he placed her in her bassinet, kissed her tiny head, before quietly leaving the nursery to go and see how Sybil was faring. _I'll go downstairs and ask Mrs. Patmore to make her some chicken soup; she always told me that was her favorite when she was little._ However…upon entering their room…he was surprised to see the bed empty.

And not just empty…but her nightgown was lying atop it!

Tom's brow furrowed and he poked his head into the connecting bathroom. But like their bedroom, it too was empty. Had she gone downstairs? It would be just like Sybil to do something like that; while others could lounge and be waited upon when they were feeling ill, Sybil was stubborn enough to insist that she do everything herself. He could see her refusing to ring the bell and ask anyone to bring her something; she was quite determined to not "go back" to that life she had grown up knowing. Yes, she must have gone downstairs, that was the only explanation.

He decided to go in search for her, at the very least to insist that she let him carry her tray upstairs. However…he hadn't gone but a few feet from their room…when he thought he heard…water?

Running water…

But…not like water running and filling a tub or a sink. But…like…rain water…?

"Mmmmmm…"

Tom froze at that all too familiar sound. It was a sound that both caused his body to tense and his blood to race. Not to mention his trousers to feel…uncomfortably tight.

What on earth…?

He carefully touched the doorknob, a shaky breath leaving his throat as he realized the room was unlocked. He slowly opened the door, and almost coughed at the wall of steam that met his face. He suddenly realized what the room was. The shower! So this was the thing that Matthew had talked about, that his sister-in-law had insisted on installing. And his little minx, she was in there! He grinned at the thought of Sybil, devilishly slipping inside and trying the contraption. With a devilish grin of his own, he too slipped into the room, and quietly shut the door…this time, locking it.

The steam was thick, reminding Tom of foggy November mornings in Dublin. However…the source of the steam, and the one taking full pleasure of it was standing but a few feet away from him…and Tom's mouth fell open as he stared at the goddess before him.

Good God in heaven…she was the essence of Venus. Just like that painting, she looked as if she had emerged from the water, her dark hair wet and slick, hanging down her back and shoulders, her hands running through those silken strands, her body beautifully arched, allowing him the mouth-watering view of her luscious curves—her hips, her thighs, her stomach and waist…her breasts…_oh God, her breasts…_

His groan suddenly alerted Sybil of his presence and she gave a little shriek, her hands flying to cover her body from the intruding view.

"It's me, love!" he reassured, trying to hush her before Carson came running to see what the commotion was all about. Oh Lord, there was a lecture he prayed to never endure.

One of Sybil's hands pressed against the glass, and quickly wiped some of the condensation from its surface, peering at him through it and blushing deeply. "Tom!" she scolded, before groaning and rolling her eyes. "Gracious, you gave me a fright!"

"Sorry," he muttered…although it was only partially true. He was sorry he had startled her…but he would never apologize for finding her in such a delicious state.

"What are you doing here?"

"Me?" he couldn't help but laugh. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Sybil blushed and he couldn't help but let his eyes wander over her body. The uncomfortable tightness in his trousers was not going away. In fact, it was getting worse.

"I…well, I remember Mary telling me that…that the steam from the shower would help clear my head…"

God, she was adorable. "I see," he said, trying to keep his eyes focused on her blushing face. "And um…has it?"

Sybil's blush only brightened. "Yes," she answered, and then looked up at him…before bursting out with a sweet laugh. "Oh Tom, Mary was right, _this is_ heavenly!"

He chuckled and nodded his head. "Well…you do look as if you are…enjoying yourself…"

Sybil nibbled her lip and he had no doubt that she was aware of how he was looking at her…or how obvious his erection had become.

"You know…" she murmured, stepping to one side. "You shouldn't take my word for it…about how wonderful the shower is."

"Oh?" Tom had already removed his shoes and was now shrugging out of his waist coat.

Sybil shook her head. "No, you should really come in and…see for yourself…"

"I see," he murmured, watching her as he undid the buttons to the cuffs of his shirt.

"MmmHmm," she answered with a smile, purposefully leaning forward…and Tom groaned as he watched her breasts press against the glass. "I think you'll fit."

"Are you sure?" he had to swallow past the lump in his throat. He was practically panting with need. "I don't know, love…" he tore his shirt off and went to work on his trousers. He pushed his drawers down with them, freeing his erection from its clothed prison. It was always a wonderful boost to the ego to hear his wife gasp at the sight of him, hard and desperate for her body.

Sybil's eyes ran over him as he stood before the shower, naked and hungry, needing to touch his wife, needing to feel her body pressed against his, needing to be inside her! She finally lifted her eyes to meet his, and pushed the shower door open. "We'll find a way…"

* * *

Sybil didn't have a chance to squeal before Tom had her seized in his arms, his mouth pressing firmly against her own, robbing her of her breath, and kissing her so deeply, so hungrily. Her arms quickly moved around his neck, and she returned the kiss, her tongue meeting his, feasting on his mouth with the same hunger and passion. Only when air was necessary, did he lift his mouth. "Christ, Sybil," he groaned, his hands running over her flesh, the water cascading over them both. _Now_ he understood Matthew perfectly.

She grinned up at him, and her hands moved to his wet hair, tangling in the strands, giggling as he leaned his head back to let the water wash over him. "It is lovely, isn't it?"

"Aye," he breathed, before looking back at her and drinking in the luscious view and feel of her body. "But not as lovely as you."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Branson," Sybil teased, running one of her hands across his broad shoulder…and down his powerful bicep.

He lifted an eyebrow at this. "Oh really, Mrs. Branson?" he moved then, and Sybil squealed as he picked her up, lifting her feet off the ground until she was tangling, and pressing her back against the tile wall of the shower…his own body pressing against hers to keep her from sliding away. "And what will get me…somewhere?"

"Tom!" she giggled, blushing and playfully swatting as his shoulder. However, the laughter died in her mouth as his mouth began to kiss her throat, her collarbone…his tongue licking away at the warm water droplets that coated her skin. "Tom…" she moaned, his lips kissing the swell of her breast, before pressing his face in the valley between them.

"Mmmmm…" he murmured against her skin, causing a shiver to run down her spine. It was like a purr. "You smell of lilacs."

She blushed and giggled softly, which caused her breasts to bounce just so. "I used some of Mary's soap," she whispered, as if sharing a naughty secret.

"Did you?" Tom quirked a brow at this. "Where is it?"

She pointed at a ledge, just under the taps. She had placed a few of the bottles there after using them, instead of returning them to the floor of the shower. Without releasing his hold on her, Sybil watched as Tom reached for a bottle. "This one?" She nodded her head. "Well…would you be so kind as to open it, milady?"

She lifted her own brow in question at his request. "What are you planning on doing?"

"Wash my wife, of course," he answered, matter-of-factly.

Sybil laughed. "But what if I told you that she's already washed?"

"Hmmm…" he leaned in close, one arm still firmly around her body to keep her pressed against the shower wall…while his hand lifted, and his fingers brushed over her nipple. A gasp escaped her lips as his fingers continued to brush tantalizing circles over her skin. "I think…" he gave the nipple a gentle pinch. "You may have missed a spot."

She gave him a look, but he naturally looked into her eyes with "pure innocence" and she knew she couldn't resist him. So she opened the bottle and proceeded to pour a healthy amount of soap into his hand. "Thank you, love," he grinned before giving her lips a kiss…and moving his now soapy hand across her flesh.

Sybil moaned and bit her lip as she felt his expert fingers run over the flesh of her breast, massaging the lather into her skin, paying extra close attention to her nipple which grew harder and tighter as he "washed" her. "I think you managed to miss a spot over here, as well…" he sighed, moving his soapy hand now to her other breast, and if his touch weren't so heavenly, she'd swat him for his teasing remarks. Just as he had done with her other breast, so too did he massage the soap over her skin here, paying special attention to her nipple, plucking it and playing with it until she was whimpering his name.

Of course, because the water continued to rain down upon them, it was washing the lather away as soon as he touched her skin. Tom "dramatically" sighed, muttering something about how he would have to just keep applying soap, but Sybil grabbed his head and brought his mouth to her own, kissing him desperately, moaning against his lips to stop teasing her. However…she should have known better, because her husband never tired of teasing her, especially when she was in a passionate state like this. And she tore her mouth away and threw her head back and moaned, as she felt his fingers sink into the flesh between her legs.

"Hmmm…now here is a place I think you definitely need thorough cleaning…"

"Tom…" she whimpered. Her legs were shaking as she felt his fingers pump in and out inside her.

"Thankfully, I am more than happy to help in that matter."

She gasped as she felt his thumb tease the nub of her clitoris, the tempo of his fingers only increasing, causing the muscles in her thighs to spasm and her toes to curl in pleasure. "Tom…Tom…I…I…I'm going to…"

"Yes…" he growled, leaning forward and kissing her breast, his mouth moving down to where a freshly washed nipple awaited him, running his tongue across the turgid tip, before sucking it deep between his lips.

"TOM!" the sensations were too great, her she exploded against his hand, her nails digging into the flesh of his shoulders as the water rained down upon them. She was still trembling with pleasure as she felt his hand move away…and then her eyes went wide as something else nudged its way between her legs. "TOM!" she gasped again, and moaned as he sheathed his swollen and throbbing cock into her body.

"Oh God, Sybil…" he groaned, encouraging her to wrap her legs around his waist, which she easily did, drawing him in deeper, and bringing his body closer to her flesh. "Yes…yes…God, I can feel you trembling all around me…"

Her fingers tangled in his hair, and she pulled his head back to kiss her as he began to thrust. She was trapped between the wall of the shower and the wall of his body, and heaven knew there was no place she would rather be. She tried her hardest to meet his thrusts, but it was difficult to do on her own. Thankfully, Tom's arms helped, lifting her just slightly, helping her slide up and down with every thrust.

Her head fell back against the shower wall, as his mouth once again descended to her body. She gasped and whimpered as she felt his lips return to her breasts. Her husband had always had an affection for them, but that affection had tripled after she became pregnant. Her nails scored down his back and across his shoulders as his thrusts increased. She squeezed her legs around his waist, gasping and groaning as the pleasure continued to build and build. She could feel his release was close, and her body was still tingling from before. "Tom…" she moaned. "Please…please…"

He groaned her name, and then began to murmur words in Gaelic, words that she was still learning, but knew they were not the sort to be murmured in "polite company". She grinned and leaned forward, her lips capturing his earlobe and giving it a tender kiss before drawing it between teeth and giving it a gentle bite.

It was all that was needed to send him over the edge.

"SYBIL!" he shouted, his head thrown back and his thrusts continuing at a rapid pace, even as he gasped and spilled his seed deep inside her. Sybil's own pleasure met its peak then, and squeezed his body, both outside and in, as she tossed her head back and joined Tom's voice, shouting his name as he roared hers.

Slowly…with long, deep pants…they began to come down.

"Sweet Jesus," he groaned, his forehead leaning into her neck as his arms trembled around her body. "That…Sybil…" he couldn't find the words that he wanted to say, and Sybil couldn't help but giggle. She knew exactly what he meant.

"That was wonderful," she grinned, leaning her head down to kiss him. The kiss was long and tender, but they still clung to one another, their bodies never parting. When they finally broke the kiss, Sybil grinned and lifted her face up to the water. "Oh Tom, how much longer do you think we have until they return?"

He chuckled and slowly lowered her to her feet, never letting her go, because like him, her legs were trembling. "That sounds like a challenge."

"Not a challenge," she grinned, her arms wrapping around his waist and leaning her head against his chest and shoulder. "Just…I'm not ready to leave!" She lifted her head then and tried her best to look innocent. "Besides…I need to _wash you_, don't I?"

She could feel his body harden once again, even before her hand snaked down to cup him. A hiss escaped his lips, and he leaned back against the tiled wall. "Do we have enough hot water?"

She giggled and continued her ministrations, enjoying the power a few simple strokes could accomplish. "Do you think it will take that long?"

He gave her a look and now it was her turn to look coy. His hand moved behind her head and pulled her towards him, hungrily devouring her lips and tongue, kissing her fiercely and moaning against his mouth. She returned the kiss, melting against him and continued stroking his body…not realizing that his hand had moved over to the taps and began to turn one of them up to increase the hot water.

Only it wasn't the tap marked "H".

"HOLY FUCK!" Tom swore, gasping as a cascade of cold water suddenly began to pour down upon them. Sybil shrieked, and quickly tried to reach for the tap he had accidently turned, but while he was trying to turn the "C" tap back, she turned the "H" tap too high, and they both let out a howl, before pushing hard against the shower's door, and tumbled out onto the bathroom floor.

They both let out groans of pain, sitting up in a puddle, their skin pink from the hot water, and shivering from the cold. They looked at each other…and burst out laughing.

"Well…" Sybil began, "Up until that point, everything about the shower had been pleasant!"

Tom laughed and nodded his head in agreement, but his voice suddenly died as a loud knock could be heard on the other side of the door. Oh no…

"Carson will castrate me if he catches me in here with you," he muttered as he rose to his feet, grabbing his now soaked trousers off the wet floor.

Sybil looked at him and frowned. "We are a married couple, you know. We are allowed to…" she blushed brightly and merely gestured towards the shower.

But Tom shook his head as he twisted the taps to turn the water off completely. "Your sister and her husband are, perhaps, but not me."

The knocking continued, and Sybil bit her lip. She quickly pulled on her dressing gown, motioning for Tom to step aside…although where to, she wasn't sure, as the bathroom wasn't that large, not since the shower had been installed.

"Milady, are you alright?"

Sybil held her breath…and then let out a great sigh of relief, before opening the door and smiling at the housemaid on the other side. "Oh Anna, thank heaven it's you." She poked her head into the corridor and was pleased to see that no one else, especially Carson or Mr. Hughes, had followed.

"I heard a crashing sound!" Anna tried to step into the bathroom, but Sybil purposefully blocked her way. Anna frowned at this. "I…I was on my way upstairs with some soup for you…but heard a crash—OH!"

Anna's face darkened several shades pinker, and her hand flew to her mouth. Sybil turned her head and saw the reasons for Anna's gasp. Tom, who had been trying to stand out of eyesight and slipped on the floor from the puddle, and in an effort to regain his balance, had dropped his clothes…which hadn't done a great deal of good, as he had used them more to strategically hide certain portions of his body, than actually put them on.

"I um…" Anna turned her head for propriety's sake, but Sybil could tell the woman was trying not to laugh. If the truth be told…Sybil felt the same way. "I'll just leave your soup in your room…"

Sybil nodded her head. "Yes, probably for the best," she agreed, doing everything in her power not to burst out laughing. "Thank you, Anna!" Anna nodded in her head in acknowledgement as she moved down the hallway quickly with the tray holding Sybil's soup.

A gasp, followed by a high-pitched "OH!" escaped Sybil's mouth as she felt something swat her rump. She turned and saw Tom, standing with an arched brow, holding a towel in his hands, one end twisted and looking ready to lash out and strike its target a second time.

"Minx," he playfully hissed.

Sybil couldn't help but giggle. "Me? I wasn't the one who was just caught naked, now, was I?" she lifted her chin in that haughty way that reflected her grandmother. "You should be counting your lucky stars that it was Anna and not someone else. She's not the sort to go gossiping about 'what she saw'…" her eyes trailed down her husband's body. "More's the pity, I suppose."

She squealed as her husband dove towards her, and Sybil gasped and laughed and pounded her fists against his back as he hoisted her up in the air, and "rudely" threw her over his shoulder. "TOM! Put me down at once!" she was trying to sound indignant, but it was difficult when one couldn't stop laughing.

He swatted her rump with his hand, opening the bathroom door and poking his head into the hallway. Seeing it empty, he moved quickly down the corridor, wet clothes in one hand, the other holding Sybil. She giggled and blushed as she admired his own backside; oh Lord, what would her father think if he knew his son-in-law was walking, naked, through Downton's corridors, whilst carrying her over his shoulder like some…some…caveman? Well, it was probably best not to dwell on that.

Once in their room, Tom kicked the door shut and deposited her onto the bed with a rather unladylike "flop". "Now," he began, trying to sound stern and commanding. Sybil bit her lip to keep her giggles under control. Tom was using his "Lord of the Manor" voice. "You will have your soup, that Anna so kindly brought to you…"

"And then…?"

"And then…" he turned and glanced at the connecting bathroom to their chamber. "While it's not the same as a shower…you will join me in the tub," he grinned down at her as she blushed. "After all…_I_ still need washing, _milady_…"

* * *

Mary was frowning. The expensive bottles of soap cream that her Aunt Rosamond had gotten her for her birthday were lying haphazardly on the floor of the shower, and…were practically empty!

It was morning, and Matthew had woken to find his wife missing. He grinned as he found her looking into the shower. Was she thinking what he was thinking? However, the wicked smile he had been hoping to see wasn't the expression that greeted him.

"Matthew, look at this mess!"

He looked down, acknowledge the floor was a little damp, and that the various bottles containing Mary's soaps were scattered on the shower floor. "I didn't do this, if that's what's upset you."

She shook her head. "Well, I didn't do it, either!"

He began to frown as well. "Well…if you didn't do it and I didn't do it…then…who did?"

Mary's face suddenly lit with realization. Her eyes went wide, and then they narrowed, before grabbing one of the half-empty bottles off the floor. She pushed open the bathroom door and began marching down the corridor, her voice bouncing off the house's walls like a clap of angry thunder.

"SYBIL!"

**THE END**


End file.
